Fayette County Biographies

Baker, John Morgan

The manager of several large farms in Ohio is John Morgan Baker, who has the supervision of twelve hundred acres in this county. He is a man of excellent education and after leaving college became the bookkeeper in the Commercial Bank of Morris Sharp & Company, of Washington C. H., where he remained for many years. He left the bank in order to look after the extensive farming interests of Morris Sharp, his uncle, and for the past ten years has been thus engaged.

John Morgan Baker, the son of John and Susan (Sharp) Baker, was born in Jamestown, Greene county, Ohio, July 2, 1873. His parents, who were natives of Kentucky and Aberdeen, Ohio, respectively, had three sons: Owen, a farmer living near Buena Vista, Ohio; John Morgan, of Washington C. H., and Warren, who died in infancy.

John Baker was a druggist in his early manhood and later was employed by the D. M. Ferry Seed Company, of Detroit, and remained with that company for fifteen years. He died in Columbus, Ohio, in 1910, at the age of sixty-four. His wife died January 12. 1879, at the age of thirty-eight. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

The paternal grandparents of John M. Baker were natives of Kentucky and early settlers in Greene county, Ohio, where they died at an advanced age. Five children were born to the grandparents of Mr. Baker, Arvilla. Frank, Samuel T., John Hillary and W. Raper. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Baker were Morgan and Frances (Warren) Sharp, natives of Kentucky. Morgan Sharp was a river pilot for many years and later operated a general store at Jonestown, Ohio. Mr. Sharp and his wife both died at Washington C. H. He passed away in June, 1882, and his widow in March, 1890. Three children were born to Morgan Sharp and wife, Morris, Susan and a son who died in early childhood.

John Morgan Baker came to Washington C. H. when he was five years of age and has lived here ever since. After graduating from the Washington C. H. high school, he entered Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, where he spent three years. He then became bookkeeper in the Commercial Bank of Morris Sharp & Company, of Washington C. H., and remained with them for fourteen years. Mr. Sharp died February 11, 1905, and since that time Mr. Baker has been looking after the extensive farming interests of his uncle.

Mr. Baker was married January 6, 1898, to Ora Belle Harsha, the daughter of John P. and Anna (Wiley) Harsha. To this union two children have been born, Helen and Warren Harsha.

Mrs. Baker was born in Springfield, Ohio, January 7, 1875. Her parents were natives of Ohio and have been residents of Washington C. H. since 1893. Her father is a monument dealer and a prominent citizen of the city. Three daughters have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Harsha, Ora Belle, Jessie Dea and Mary Edith.

Mr. and Mrs. Baker are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically, he is a stanch Republican, but has never taken an active part in the political affairs of his county. Fraternally, he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

From History of Fayette County Ohio - Her People, Industries and Institutions by Frank M. Allen (1914, R. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.)